Air-brake mechanism.



J. B. WRIGHT & F. O. LAWSON.

AIR BRAKE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1913.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHOTC-LITHJ. WASHINGTON. u c.

I LB. WRIGHT & P. 0. LAWSON.

AIR BRAKE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1913.

Patented Nov. 3, 19%

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Illllla THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTOLITHO.. WASHINGTON. n. C,

* UNITED STATES Pagan-r ornionQ JOHN B. WRIGHT AND FRANS 0. Lawson, or enEnNsBo'no, NoR'rncARonINA.

AIR-BRAKE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N 0v. 3,1914.

. Application filed March 28, 1913. Serial No. 757,478; I 3

T (1.25 whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN B. l VRIGHT and FnANs O. LAWSON, citizens of the 1 at A, the truck frame at B, and the wheels of the truck frame at C. The truck frame-is of course pivotallyconnected with the car body A through the king bolt and" bolster indicated at D, and the usual appliances are provided for permitting of a lim- United States, and residentsof Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brake Mechanism; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference bein'ghad tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and to thefigures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to brake mechanism for railway vehicles, and more especially to mechanism for automatically setting .the brakes of such a vehicle when any abnormal displacement of the vehicle trucks with relation to the body of the vehicle occurs, as, for example, by the displacement whichv would occur by a partial or complete derailment of the truck.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an exceedingly simple and cllicient mechanism for bleeding the train pipe to thereby set the brakes when the truck is moved abnormally or beyond the safety limit in any direction, either vertically, horizontally, or otherwise and the invention therefore consists, broadly, in valve operating or opening mechanismwhich will be moved in a direction which will operate to open ormove the valve through movemerit imparted to it by displacement of the truck in any direction.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:-Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating one end of a car body with its truck more or less diagrammatically shown and with a brake controlling mechanism embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail enlarged sectional view through the brake controlling mechanism shown in elevation in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the head of the operating rod. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the adjustable memberwith whichtheopcrating rod cooperates..- Fig. 5 is a section corresponding to the section in Fig. 2, but

illustrating a modified arrangement of the valve mechanism. of the moving parts of a second modification of the valve. Fig. 7 is a top of the valve illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a sideelevation plan View 1 Like letters ofreference in the severalfigures indicate the same parts.

A portion of the car body'is indicated in ited relative movement of the. truck frame relieve jars due to'roughness of the tracks or roadbed.

, .The present invention, like those of the class to which it relates, embodies apart adapted to be mounted on or carried by the car body and a cooperating part adapted to be mounted on or carried by the bolster, a suitable loose .connectionbeing provided whereby all normal movements of the truck frame with relation to the body areper- ;,mitted without causing any operation of the brakecontrolhng devices, but whereby abnormal movements will setsuch devices in operation. In accordance with the present invention, relative abnormal movements either up, down, laterally or longitudinally of the car will effect the operation of the brake controlling devices, and in accomplish-- ing this result, the controlling devices are primarily operated by a rod or depending member E which extends through an opening formed by a, pair of relatively movable or adjustableplate like members F and Ft, said rod ordepending member having above the plates F, F, brought into contact with said members F, F will arrest the furtherdownward movement of the depending member or elevate the same with relation to the car body, and below. said members F, F" it is provided a cross piece E, which, if

with an incline or inclined portion E which by contact with the-plate-like-members, as

depending niemberinto contact with the in one direction or the other.

The depending member E is providedat by relative downward movement of the mem 1 bers, will cause a lateral deflection ofthe de-f, pending ,member. Lateral or longitudinal relative abnormal movements will bring the its upper end with a head or enlargement G which is adapted to seat within a housing H secured to the carbody, and preferably on an upwardly extending flange h which surrounds the opening through which the depending member projects. Provision is made for preventing the rotation or angular movement of the depending member on its longitudinal axis as by providing the head G with a depending flange 9 having notches g therein, as shown in Fig. 8, for coiiperation with projections 9 Fig. 2, located'within the casing H.

Resting on the head G of the depending member is the reversely arranged head I of a valve actuating member or stem 1 which is guided vertically in suitable bearings in the housing H and provided with an incline 2" adapted to cooperate with a valve stem K to unseat or open a valve K for controlling the escape of airfrom the train pipe L. Preferably the actuating member 1 passes through a slot is in the valve stem, and its operative faces beyond each end of the incline i are preferably ar ranged in planes at right angles to the movement of the valve, whereby when the actuating member is moved upwardly the valve K will be opened against the tension of its spring K and will be held in its open position by the engagement of the face of the actuating member beyond the incline, thus allowing the train pipe pressure to escape freely and holding the valve open until such time as the parts are re-' stored to normal position by manual manipulation. The two heads G and I, it will be noted from Fig. 2, seat squarely against each other and consequently a movement of the depending member laterally in any direction will result in elevating the actuating member, and a similar result will be effected by an upward movement of the depending member with relation to the housing H, so that it is impossible for an abnormal movement to take place in any direction without causing the actuating member to unseat the valve and thereby apply the brakes.

'In devices of this kind, where a depending member is employed, it has been found that should occasion require the acking up of the car body so as to release the trucks, when the parts are returned to their normal positions, there is danger of the depending member being caught on the plate-like cooperating members, resulting in destruction of the device; To avoid this contingency,

- the lower end of the depending member is made to project at a point which is in substantial alinement with the longitudinal axis of the member, as, for example, by bringin'gthe end below the incline E back to the center line as at E in Fig. 2. With this construction the end of the depending member will. always enter. the opening designed for the reception of said member and as the car body is returned to its normal position with relation to the truck, the said depending member will pass down through said opening as will be readily understood.

The adjustable opening left betweenthe plate-like members F and F is more or less arc-shaped, inasmuch as the normal move 'ments of the truck with relation to the car are around the king bolt as a center, but the size of said opening is sufficient to permit of all normal movements laterally, longitudinally and vertically, without causing the walls of the opening to strike the depending member. A sufiicient space is left between the shoulders formed by the cross bar E and the incline E to permit of all normal relatively vertical movements of the parts, but any abnormal relative movement inthis direction will cause either the incline F to strike the plate-like members and deflect the depending member or the" cross bar in" to strike said plate-like members and eii'ect a relative upward movement of the depending member, any of such movements resulting, as before stated, in the opening of the valve and the setting of the brakes.

Obviously the type of valve and its actuator may be considerably varied without departing from the present invention, and,

as examples, we have illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, two modifications.

In Fig. 5 the valve M which controls the discharge opening for the train pipe is provided with a short stem M rounded at its end and adapted for cooperation with a round or spindle-like actuator stem N. The actuatorstem N is provided with an incline n for opening the valve and with shoulders n with which a spring-pressed pawl O is adapted to cooperate for holding the actuator elevated after it has been lifted by the operation of the depending member E in the manner described in'oonnection with Fig. 2. The end of the pawl 0 extends to the outside of the casing where it is pivotally connected with. the casing at 0 and provided with an eye 0' or other suitable. means for attachment of a. release chain or rod of ordinary construction.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the valve P is provided with a straight stem P having a slot p in its rear end in which a sliding actuator Q is adapted to operate, said actuator having a tooth-like projection g, the inclined face of which serves to open the valve and the point of which byenterin'g the slot and resting against the flat face formed by the bottom of the slot serves to hold the valve open until the actuator is depressed by suitable manualmeans or otherwise, as desired. The two parts F and F which form the member for cooperating with the valve operating rod are adjustably connected to gether by bolts passing through the slots whereby the size of the opening may be varied in accordance with the desired per missible normal relative movements of the car body and truck. It is also preferred that each plate-like member shall have a central recess 7" as the permissible range of relative movement is greater when the car body and truck are in alinement than when the truck is turned as in passing a curve.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve, on the car body, an actuator therefor, and 21, depending member movable laterally in any direction or vertically to move the actuator and open the valve, of a member mounted on the bolster and cooperating with the depending member to move the depending member laterally by relative abnormal movement of the truck frame and vertically by relative abnormal vertical movement oi the truck frame.

2. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve on the car bodyand a pendent operating member movable laterally in any direction and vertically to operate the valve, of a second operating member mounted on the bolster and loosely encircling the pendent member, said pendent member hav ing lateral projections thereon whereby it will be displaced by abnormal relative movements of the truck either vertically or horizontally.

3. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve on the car body and an operating member movable longitudinally or laterally in any direction to open the valve, of an operating member mounted on the bolster and loosely encircling the first mentioned member and a transverse shoulder and an incline on said first mentioned member, whereby relative abnormal movement in any direction will operate the valve.

4'. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve on the car body and an operating member pivotally supported to swing laterally in any direction to open the valve and also movable longitudinally to open the valve, said member having a lateral shoulder and an incline thereon, of a second operating member on the bolster and looselyencircling the first mentioned member intermediate the shoulder and incline, whereby abnormal relative movement in any direc tion will open the valve.

5. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve on the car body and a pendent 0perating'member pivotally supported near its upper end to swing laterally in any direction to open the valve and also movable lon gitudinally to open the valve, said member having a transverse projection and an inclined face below said projection, of a second operating member mounted on the bolster and loosely encircling the first mentioned member intermediate the transverse projection and incline, whereby abnormal relative movement in any direction will open the valve.

6. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve on the car body and a pendent operating member pivotally supported at its upper end to swing laterally in any direction to open'the valve, and also movablelongitudinally to open the valve, said member having a lateral shoulder and an inclined face below said shoulder, of a second operating member mounted on the bolster and h av-' ing an elongated opening therein 'in which .the first mentioned member is loosely embraced at a point between the shoulder and inclined face, and means for preventing rotary movement of the pendentmember on its longitudinal axis.

7. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve on the car body and a pendent operating member pivotally supported to swing laterallyin any direction toopen the valve, said member having near its lower end a transversely extending incline, of asecond member mounted on the bolster and loosely encircling the pendent member above said incline, whereby relative upward movement of the pendent member will cause the same to be swung laterally bythe engage ment of the said incline with the second mentioned m ember.

8. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve on the car body and a pendent operating member pivotally supported at its upper end to swing laterally in-any direction to open the valve, the lower portion of said pendent member being formed with a laterallyprojecting incline and the lower extremity of said member below said incline being located substantially in line with the longitudinal axis of the membenand a second operating member mounted onvthe bolster and loosely encircling the pendent in ember above the incline, whereby relative verti cal movement of the pendent member will cause thesame to be swung laterally to open the valve and said member will be guided into its proper position, should the parts become separated by such vertical movement. i

9. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railwaybrakes, the combination with the valve on the car body movable horizontally to open the train pipe, a vertically movable actuator having an incline thereon for cooperation with the valve to open the latter, said actuator having an enlarged head at its lower end, of a pendent operating member having an enlarged head pivotally sup ported on a circular seat below the head of the actuator and adaptedto support and opstate said actuator.

10. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve on the car body movable horizontally to open the train pipe, a vertically movable actuator having an incline thereon for cooperation with the valve to open the latter, said actuator having an enlarged head at its lower end, of a pendent operating member having an enlarged head pivotally supported on a circular seat belowthe head of the actuator and adapted to support and operate said actuator, said pendent operat ing member being provided with a laterally extending incline near its lower end and a second operating member mounted on the bolster and loosely embracing the first mentioned operating member above the incline. 11. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the housing adapted to be secured to the car body, said housing having a train pipe valve seat therein, and an aperture for the entrance oi a valve operating member with an inwardly projecting flange around said aperture, of a spring pressed valve c0- operating with the valve seat, a valve operating member mounted loosely in said aperture and having an enlarged head seating on said flange and itself having a flange extending down around the flange on the housing, and means whereby when the operating member is swung laterally in any direction the valve will be unseated to permit of the escape of train pipe pressure.

12. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve on the car body, and a pendent operating member pivotally supported turning a curve.

mem'ber mounted on the bolster, and provided'with an elongated opening in which the pendent member is loosely embraced be tween the shoulder and inclines, and means for preventing rotation of the pendent mem beron its longitudinal axis.

13. In a derailment controlling mechanism'tor railway brakes, a brake controlling valve, and an operating rod for said valve, of an operating member loosely embracing said rod and formed of members adjustably connected whereby the size of the opening for the rod may be varied, said members having their adjacent edges shaped to form an elongated opening to permit of normal turning movements of the truck frame, each of said edges being cut away centrally to torm an enlargement at the center of the opening to permit of a greater range of relative movement when the body and truck frame are in alinement.

14. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, a brake controlling valve and an operating rod for said valve mounted on the car body, of an operating member loosely embracing the rod and I mounted on the bolster, said member having an elongated opening therein to permit of the normal turning movements of the truck frame and said opening having a central enlargement to permit of a greater range of normal relative movement of the body and truck frame when in alinement than when JOHN B. WRIGHT,

, FRANS O. LI UVSON.

\Vitnesses N. G. VHI'LZ, O'. L. GRUBBS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washingtbn, I). G. 

